The body length of this animal was 1-3 cm, but has as many as 750 feet! The new species of Milipede is named Lllacme plenipes, which Latin for "the pinnacle plentiful feet". Then this animals were crowned as the animal with the highest number of legs.
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| A white millipede named lllacme plenipes (Latin for "the pinnacle plentiful feet") and found only in a small area of Northern California sports 750 wiggling legs, making it the "leggiest" animal known. (Here, the entire millipede with penny for scale. (Picture from: http://www.livescience.com/) |
"This animal is like a thread. Glance it has the outside look which is not attractive. However, as seen by electron and light microscopy, we're found out that it has complex anatomy," says Paul Marek, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arizona who led the study.
Not only the number of legs that make these incredible animals, the researchers also found that these animals have imperfect mouths with unknown function. In addition, Lllacme plenipes also have organ behind the body is capable of producing threads similar with the silk structures.
As quoted by LiveScience, the discovery of this species starts from the findings of millipede species back in 2006, the species that had previously been discovered in 1928. Scientists then began collecting specimens Iilacme plenipes from oak forest areas in Oakland and Berkeley.
According to the survey, scientists suspect it was the rare species. After the specimens obtained, scientists began to analyze the morphology and genetics.
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| Scientists crowned the species as the leggiest in the animal kingdom (some of its wiggling limbs shown here), beating out a related species in Puerto Rico with 742 legs. (Picture from: http://www.livescience.com/) |
From genetic studies conducted, they have identified a gene called cytochrome c oxidase I. These genes may serve as the genetic markers that will help scientists distinguish between types Iilacme plenipes and others. Marek also suspect that this species also live in the tropics.
The species findings were published at the ZooKeys journal mid-November last year. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LIVESCIENCE | SEPTI | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 06122012]
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